a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spool assembly for use in storing and handling a cable-like member which is preferably but not necessarily a pintle.
b) Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the paper making industry, it is of common practice to use fabric belts that are made of sections connected to each other to form an endless loop. Such belts carry the wet fibrous sheets that are prepared from the processed pulp. It is also of common practice to connect the adjacent ends of the belt sections by means of seams made by passing a cable known in the trade as a "pintle" through a tubular passage formed by intermeshed loops of fabric yarns projecting at the ends of the adjacent sections when the same are interfitted and held together. Usually, the pintle consists of a mono- or multi-filament yarn whose leading end is attached to a stiff guiding wire made of metal, which acts as a needle to facilitate insertion of the yarn into the passage formed by the loops.
Further details regarding the use of pintles to connect fabric belt sections, can be found to the preambles of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,842,212 to ASTEN GROUP, INC. and 5,033,618 to ALBANY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Of course, it is necessary that the pintle be stored and made available in such a manner as to make its use and installation as fast and easy as possible, especially in the case of replacement of used or damaged sections of the endless belt of a paper making machine, which must be made in a very fast manner on the premises.
Spool assemblies for pintles have already been devised to tentatively meet the above mentioned requirement. In this connection, reference can be made again to the above mentioned patents, which are both directed to such assemblies.